vCenter Server does not support Linked Mode groups that contain both version 5.x and pre-5.0 versions of vCenter Server. Similarly, vCenter Server does not support Linked Mode groups that contain both version 5.1.x and 5.0.x versions of vCenter Server. vCenter Server 5.0.x can be joined in a Linked Mode group only with other instances of vCenter Server 5.0.x. vCenter Server 5.1.x can be joined in a Linked Mode group only with other instances of vCenter Server 5.1.x. After all vCenter Servers in the group are upgraded to version 5.0.x or all vCenter Servers in the group are upgraded to version 5.1.x, you can rejoin them.

Click Join this vCenter Server instance to an existing linked mode group or another instance and click Next.

5

Enter the server name and LDAP port number of a remote vCenter Server instance that is a member of the group and click Next.

If you enter an IP address for the remote server, the installer converts it into a fully qualified domain name.

6

If the vCenter Server installer detects a role conflict, select how to resolve the conflict.

Option

Action

Yes, let VMware vCenter Server resolve the conflicts for me

Click Next.

The role on the joining system is renamed to vcenter_namerole_name, where vcenter_name is the name of the vCenter Server system that is joining the Linked Mode group, and role_name is the name of the original role.

No, I'll resolve the conflicts myself

To resolve the conflicts manually:

a

Using the vSphere Client, log in to one of the vCenter Server systems using an account with Administrator privileges.

b

Rename the conflicting role.

c

Close the vSphere Client session and return to the vCenter Server installer.

d

Click Back and click Next.

The installation continues without conflicts.

A conflict results if the joining system and the Linked Mode group each contain a role with the same name but with different privileges.

7

Click Finish.

vCenter Server restarts. Depending on the size of your inventory, the change to Linked Mode might take from a few seconds to a few minutes to complete.

The vCenter Server instance is now part of a Linked Mode group. After you form a Linked Mode group, you can log in to any single instance of vCenter Server and view and manage the inventories of all the vCenter Servers in the group. It might take several seconds for the global data (such as user roles) that are changed on one machine to be visible on the other machines. The delay is usually 15 seconds or less. It might take a few minutes for a new vCenter Server instance to be recognized and published by the existing instances, because group members do not read the global data very often.

For information about configuring and using your Linked Mode group, see the vCenter Server and Host Management documentation.